


Ripples

by peoriapeoria



Series: Fitter of the Species [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-30
Updated: 2013-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-16 16:30:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/864159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peoriapeoria/pseuds/peoriapeoria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve makes waves and takes a road trip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ripples

**Author's Note:**

> Steve uses an internal male pronoun and a social female one. I'm sure as a writer this will bite me, but it won't be the first time I write myself into and eventually out of a corner. Steve's still got some coarse vocabulary, which is why this isn't a general audience piece.

Steve learns there are more survivors of his war than SHIELD had believed. After the Battle of Manhattan Steve had left the city, with three magic cards in his pocket. Two smaller than a playing card, a phone and money, and one bigger than a paperback that in turns was a cinema, a book, a camera. He could use it as a sketchpad, but its grip was off. Steve wasn't off-grid but he was taking time for himself.

He's a little surprised no one thinks it too odd that a dame is traveling alone. A lot ask which branch Steve's in and thank him when he says Army. There are things you just can't learn except by living them. Steve stays East, he remembers the center of the country as field after field and it's not what he's after. He stays on the roads before Eisenhower's, the ones that link towns.

Steve was Brooklyn bred, something that had driven the USO tour nuts, since Liberty Belle declaimed every word except for the song lyrics. There had been two intensive weeks teaching him a different way to speak. The girls had been their own education; it was then he learned dames were at least as filthy-minded as any guy. He'd had a very strange business of drawing beefy boys for the rest of the troupe, and of producing pinup cards they could send 'in support'.

So, he'd been exploring and then came back. While he was gone, the media had run riot over his appearance during The Battle. Some flapped their mouths about desecrating a national icon for a misguided feminist agenda, others applauded the taking up of the shield by the best person. Someone had gotten a picture of Black Widow launching from Captain America's shield. Codgers and crones weighed into the fray, and they got traction.

There were once-cooks, former ambulance drivers, nurses, children of war. People that had seen the Commandos not in reels but battle weary. He thought he recognized a whore or two. Joan of Arc was mentioned, and a few admitted it took them time to realize she not he.

Tumblr went crazy with pictures. Some were fakes; some of them were excellent parodies. It was amazing how many real photos there were. Steve smiled at the youtube videos of girl scouts, pierced and dyed people and suit wearing professionals with their neighbors and great-grandparents.

Steve hasn't decided if he wants to come forward as the original Captain America. He's happy that the story isn't lost, that he's not really the last one that remembers. He's returned at sunset not twilight.


End file.
